NJ Man Booted From United Airlines Flight For Being Fat

The 385-pound man says he was kicked off his flight to satisfy the needs of another passenger.

New Jersey resident Errol Narvaez was mortified after he was removed from a United Airlines flight due to his weight.

According to The Huffington Post, Narvaez was leaving Las Vegas to head back home to Newark, NJ on Tuesday when the incident occurred. After he boarded the flight, he realized his seat was switched to the middle and upon inquiry, was told the flight was completely booked. His row mate was not pleased with the change and told a flight attendant he was uncomfortable sitting next to the 385-pound man.

Narvaez, who was all the way back in Row 36, was told he had to leave the plane. He called the moment a walk of shame, but complied with the employees since he didn’t want to cause a scene.

Then he spent six hours at the Vegas airport waiting for the next flight to Newark, New Jersey. “I specifically picked this flight so I’d get home early enough to get some sleep before I work tomorrow,” he lamented. “By the time I get home tonight, it will be near 2 a.m.” Initially, the supervisor who removed Narvaez from the plane tried to charge him an additional $117 for changing his flight. She changed her tune after Narvaez griped about being forced to pay for something he never requested.

“She also blacked out a middle seat so no one would be sitting next to me,” he said.

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“The employees need education on how to handle situations like these,” he said. “The other passengers have a right to feel uncomfortable about a large person in the middle seat, but that doesn’t mean they should get their way automatically.”

United Airlines spokesman Jonathan Guerin said it is airline policy to remove passengers who cannot fit safely in their seats, adding Narvaez wasn’t charged for the open seat next to him.

Narvaez is now thinking about taking legal action. “I did my research,” he said. “If I had to buy two seats, I would have.”